Watch Croker Island Exodus

Croker Island Exodus is a documentary series that was first premiered on ABC in 2020. The show takes viewers on a historical journey to 1942, when hundreds of Aboriginal children were evacuated to Croker Island in the Northern Territory, to avoid Japanese bombing during World War II. The series is directed by Steven McGregor and produced by Jacob Hickey.

The first episode of the series outlines the background of the exodus. The outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941 prompted fears that part of the Australian mainland was under the threat of a Japanese Invasion. This prompted the government to devise a plan for the evacuation of vulnerable populations in the north of the country. This plan included the removal of Aboriginal children who were deemed at risk of a Japanese attack. The series describes the evacuation as the largest and longest planned movement of civilians in Australia's history.

The second episode of the series, "The Journey," explores the hardships faced by the evacuees as they were transported to Croker Island. Many of the children who were removed were from Indigenous communities in Arnhem Land, and for many, it was their first time away from home, family and language. The children were transported in boats or army trucks, sometimes in extreme conditions including the threat of attack by Japanese aircraft.

The show offers a glimpse into the tensions that arose between the missionaries who were given the responsibility of handing the exodus, and the Indigenous children and families who were involved. The cultural divide between the two groups is evident, as is the paternalistic and racist attitudes of many of the non-Indigenous personnel.

The third episode, "Life on Croker," follows the children and the nuns who were charged with caring for them once they arrived on the island. The show depicts the aspect of daily life for the evacuees. It scrutinizes the difficult journey on how they tried to accommodate to the severe climatic conditions, different foods available, and immense cultural differences. Adjusting to their new surroundings was a sharp contrast to the open landscape and ways of life in their home communities.

The final episode, "The Return," looks at the aftermath of the exodus. After the end of the war, the children were returned to their homelands. The series explores how the children were welcomed back into their communities, and the challenges that they and their families faced in re-integrating. The episode dives into how the experiences on Croker Island profoundly impacted their lives, and has lasting memories that even carried through the generations.

Croker Island Exodus is a gripping and historically significant series that offers a detailed account of an often-neglected chapter in Australia's history. The series balances firsthand accounts from Indigenous participants with commentary from historians and experts in child welfare and Indigenous affairs. It also incorporates archival footage and photographs, which are used deftly to create a deep and meaningful representation of this historical reality.

The show stands out in its ability to evoke empathy in the viewer, giving voice to the Indigenous children whose lives were irreversibly disrupted by the exodus. It meticulously portrays the historical circumstances under which this tragic event occurred that affected Indigenous Australians. The series also inspires and provokes thought through its critical and nuanced analyses of race relations, missionary work, and government policies.

Overall, Croker Island Exodus immerses the viewer into Australia’s uncomfortable and painful history. It is an educational, thought-provoking, and deeply moving series that offers a neglected insight into the past, demonstrating how past experiences, including those that are traumatic, have the power to shape lives through generations, and guide our present and future understanding of our society at large.